To light a smile on sorrow's face
And drive its gloom away."
And drive its gloom away."
"Poor foolish thing," the shadow said,
"Earth is no place for day,
Her life is dark and cold and dread,
You know not what you say.
"Earth is no place for day,
Her life is dark and cold and dread,
You know not what you say.
"I cover up its want and woe
And wrap the earth in sleep,
That none may see and none may know
What countless millions weep."
And wrap the earth in sleep,
That none may see and none may know
What countless millions weep."
The merry little sunbeam laughed,
"That is not right," he said,
"I've seen the smart of sorrow's shaft,
I dry their tears instead.
"That is not right," he said,
"I've seen the smart of sorrow's shaft,
I dry their tears instead.
Earth hath her sorrows and her joys,
Her sunshine and her rain,
But love is worth all life's alloys,
Its pleasure worth its pain."
Her sunshine and her rain,
But love is worth all life's alloys,
Its pleasure worth its pain."
And then the sunbeam shone so bright
Upon his happy way,
He pierced the shadow with his light
And frightened him away.
Upon his happy way,
He pierced the shadow with his light
And frightened him away.
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